Abeokuta: By Andy BABATUNDE
Published, Wednesday, June 15, 2022
PROVOST OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OSIELE has appealed to the Federal Government to quickly attend to the grievances of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) to ameliorate the spiral effects of their four-week long strike which commenced nationwide yesterday.
Students of the Federal College of Education, Osiele Abeokuta, Ogun State, were in the middle of the first semester examination when the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) ordered the commencement of the one-month long industrial strike. Consequently, the first semester exams was halted, and the students were ordered to go home.
Dr. Rafiu Soyele, (pictured above) while speaking with journalists in his office Monday, said the negative effects of industrial strike are enormous on the College, students and parents, adding that the government, particularly, Federal Ministry of Education should immediately proffer amicable settlement of all the demands of the academic union.
He said there's no way the College could generate revenue once the students were not in the college, it affects academic calendar, a three-year course would be extended, adding that by this strike the present academic session might split till next year, and the economic implications to parents are equally enormous.
The government should fast track the process, reaching agreement with the Union to reduce the psychological, academic, and economic negative effects of the strike, positing that as a result of the strike students had to be sent home to prevent untoward behaviours of students.
Thedispatch reports that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) had called out all her members to begin one-month long strike.
The Union made the decision after a meeting at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, June 10, where it assessed the level of Federal Government's response to its requests, following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued to government on the lingering issues of the industrial concerns.
Dr. Smart Olugbeko, President, COEASU, and General Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Bazza Lawan, made this known in a press statement made available to thedispatch.
The statement reads inter alia, “The total strike action suspended by the Union in December 2018 will be resumed immediately for four weeks in the first instance. NEC shall reconvene after the four weeks of strike action to re-assess the level of the Government’s commitment on the issues for an appropriate decision on the way forward thenceforth.
“Leadership of the Union at all levels (National, Zonal and Chapter) should embark on an emphatic media campaign towards seamless public awareness on the issues leading to the strike action.
“The strike action shall be total and all members of the academic staff in all Colleges of Education (both Federal and State) must withdraw from all statutory duties without exemption.
“All State-owned Colleges on industrial action to press home local demands should impress on their respective Managements that the local strike shall continue in the unexpected event that their local issues remain unresolved by the end of the nationwide industry concern.
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